Hat-tray



@No Modl.)

n 2 Sheets-Sheet 1., A. F. GAMMANN. .HAT TRAY. No. 437,286.5

Patented Sept. so, 18,90.

mnnunlv llllllillllnu (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. I'. CAMMANN.

.HAT TRAY.

No. 487,286. v Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST F. CAMMANN, OF ST. LOUIS, MlSSOURl.

HAT-TRAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,286, datedSeptember 30, 1890.

Application filed January 18, 1890. Serial No. 337,343. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST F. CAMMANN, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improved Holder and Packing Device forHats,

of which the following is a full, clear, and eX-.

act description.

My invention relates to improved means of holding and packing hats,especially applicable to stiff hats, and has for its object to enable aseries of hats to be packed and carried Without injury, and also to bereadily exlibited and repacked without trouble and de- It consists of atray provided with one or more especially-constructed box-stays orhatreceptacles and in novel features of construction of said tray, whichwill be more fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinalsectional elevation of a closed trunk or packing-case containing myimproved hat-holder; Fig. 2, aplan of the same with the lid of the trunkremoved; Fig. 3, a front elevation thereof with the lid of the trunkthrown open and the upper series of hats in position for exhibition;Fig-1, a

longitudinal sectional elevation through one' of the trays detached,taken on line 4 l in Fig. 2, omitting the hats; and Fig. 5, a transversesection of the same, taken on line 5 5 in Fig. 2, like letters andnumerals of reference denoting like parts in all the figures.

a represents a trunk or packing-case,with in which are placed, one abovethe other, a series of trays b. Each tray b consists, preferably, of afloor 1, supporting four cornerposts 2, which are united externally Vatthe ends and rear of the tray h by the top and bottom horizontal bars 3,and at the front of the tray b by a bottom horizontal bar 4 only, theexternal configuration of the tray so constructed being slightly lessthan the corresponding dimensions of thev inside of the trunk a. On thefloor 1 of each tray b are fixed at suitable distances apart box staysor receptacles c, each of which is preferably in the form of an oval boxtapering slightly inward from its junction with the floor 1 to its upperopen end, the edge whereof is of a concave form, (see particularly Figs.4: and

i 5,) corresponding to that of the under side ofv the rim of a hat d,adjacent to its crown,`

whereby the opening ,ofA the receptacle may be expanded for theinsertion of the hat, and, owing to the tapering form'of the receptacle,will subsequently contract to grip and hold the hat, as well as toprovide a uniform support which conforms to the contour of the brim ofthe hat. Through the iioorlof each tray b are formed air-holes e for theescape of air, as hereinafter more particularly referred to.

Within the box stays c are placed the crowns of the hats d, (see dottedlines, Fig. 1,) so that the rims of the hats CZ rest upon and overhangthe upper edges of the box-stays c, as shown in Fig. 1.

The height of the corner-posts 2 of a trayb is such that when the floor1 of a succeeding tray b rests upon their upper ends sufficientclearance is left between the under side of the said iioor and the rimsof the hats d within the first tray.

In operation, presuming that the trays b are removed from the trunk aand the hats d placed in the respective box-stays c,a tray b, with itshats CZ, is placed within the upper end of the trunk a, and, being letgo, falls to the bottom of the latter, the air escaping from the trunk abeneath the descending tray b through the holes e in the fioor 1, andthereby facilitating the descent of the tray b. A second tray Z), withits hats d, is then placed within the trunk a andfalls in like manneruntil its floor 1 rests upon the posts 2 of the preceding tray b, and soon throughout the entire series of trays b, when, the lid of the trunkci being closed, the latter, with its freight of hats, is ready forcarriage. On opening the trunk a, the top series of hats d may be eX-hibited immediately by tilting them forward within their box-stays c, asshown in Fig. 3, and on lifting each tray b from the trunk a and placingit on a table each series of hats d may be in like manner exhibited onthe shortest notice.

The great advantages of my invention are that the hats being confinedwithin the box stays or receptacles c, adjacent to the respective doors1 of the succeeding trays b, they cannot be knocked about and injuredduring their transportation within the trunk ce. The

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delay and injurious handling of the hats now experienced in unpackingand exhibiting are completely obviated, and the hats can be 1'e turnedto stock Without depreciation and loss.

Another advantage is that owing tc the tapering of the receptacles cthey are adapted for receiving varying styles of hats.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a packing-box for hats, a hatreeep taelehaving the forni of a truncated eene resting on its base, the edges ofthe truncated portion being,r concave to increase the size of theopening for receiving the hat and to eoaet with the tapering form of thereceptacle in grasping and holding the hat when inserted, substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

2. In a hat-tray for paekingboxes,the combination, with a bottom, of oneor more hatreceptacles secured to said bottom, a series of corner-postson said bottom, and a top rail or bar arranged on three sides thereof,the whole AUGUST l?. CAMMANN.

iVitnesses:

J. W. CRooKEs, J. L. HORNSBY.

